Chapter 6 - The Anonymous Text
The glowing digits of the text message seemed to burn right through the screen of my phone as I sat behind the wheel of my sedan in the empty country club parking lot.
I know about the corporate transfers, Annie. If you want your full share of the liquidated assets before the feds freeze what's left of Ryan's accounts, meet me at the downtown office in twenty minutes.
In the rearview mirror, I could see Amelia’s tired eyes blinking sleepily against the backseat headrest. She had carried the weight of the world onto that wedding stage, and the adrenaline crash was hitting her hard. I couldn't drag her into whatever legal or financial minefield this message was leading me toward.
"Amelia, honey, are you doing okay back there?" I asked, turning slightly in my seat to keep my voice calm and reassuring.
"I'm tired, Mom," she murmured, clutching her small jacket around her. "Can we go home to Sarah and the kids?"
"We are going straight home," I promised her, putting the car into gear. But as I pulled out of the country club drive, my foot hovered over the brake pedal. If the federal government froze Ryan’s accounts completely, the architecture firm—and every cent of equity we had built during thirteen years of marriage—would vanish into a legal black hole. My children’s future, their college funds, our home—everything would be wiped out to pay back debts Claire had incurred behind our backs.
My phone buzzed again. Another text, this time containing an address: Suite 402, 1400 Financial Plaza, Downtown. And a warning: You have fifteen minutes before Ryan's partners lock the servers.
I glanced back at Amelia. Her eyes were already closed, her breathing slow and even. I couldn't bring her, but I couldn't ignore the message either.
With a tight knot forming in my stomach, I dialed my cousin's number—the one who had tipped me off in the first place. She answered on the second ring.
"Annie? Are you out of there? Is Amelia okay?"
"She's asleep in the car," I said quickly, keeping my voice low. "Listen, I need a huge favor. Can you drive over to my house right now and stay with the kids? I have to handle something downtown—something regarding Ryan and Claire's accounts. It won't take long."
May you like
"Of course, Annie. I'm leaving right now," my cousin replied without hesitation. "Be careful."
I changed direction at the next intersection, heading downtown toward the towering glass monoliths of the financial district, unaware that a pair of dark sedan headlights had already pulled out from behind the country club gates to tail me.
